Two people were killed and three others were wounded in a Christmas Eve shooting at an Aurora apartment complex, police said, as detectives worked to identify a shooter and reconstruct what happened in a neighborhood east of Denver.
The shooting left residents shaken during a holiday week and added pressure on investigators to answer basic questions that remained open a day later: where the gunfire started on the property, what led up to it and who pulled the trigger. Aurora police said their preliminary investigation shows the shooting involved people who knew each other and was not believed to be random, but officers had not announced an arrest or released a suspect description.
Aurora police said officers were called about 9:30 p.m. Wed., Dec. 24, to the Augusta Apartments in the 1800 block of Billings Street near Evergreen Avenue after reports of a shooting. When officers arrived, they located multiple people with apparent gunshot wounds, police spokesperson Joe Moylan said. Patrol officers began first aid while paramedics were dispatched and other officers searched the area for a suspect, Moylan said. Police said all five victims were taken to hospitals with gunshot wounds. A 41-year-old woman and a 17-year-old boy later died at hospitals, police said.
The three surviving victims were identified by police as an 18-year-old man, a 42-year-old woman and a 41-year-old woman. Police did not describe the victims’ conditions beyond saying the survivors’ injuries were not described as life-threatening. Authorities also did not release the names of the people who died, saying the Adams County Coroner’s Office would identify them after next-of-kin notifications and its standard process. Police have not said whether the victims lived at the complex or were visiting, and they did not describe the relationships among the victims or any other people involved.
Investigators said they were still working to confirm exactly where on the property the shots were fired. Police did not say whether the victims were shot inside a single apartment, in a hallway or stairwell, or outside in a courtyard or parking area. They also did not release information about how many rounds were fired, what caliber weapon might have been used, or whether more than one gun was involved. Those details often become clearer after detectives review physical evidence, including shell casings, bullet impacts and surveillance video from the complex or nearby businesses.
Residents described hearing a rapid burst of gunfire followed by shouting and people moving quickly through the complex as sirens approached. Some residents said the timing made the shooting especially jarring because Christmas Eve is often quieter than other nights, with families inside and children home from school. Several said they looked out windows and saw police vehicles arriving and officers moving between buildings, flashlights sweeping the ground. Others said they tried to check on neighbors while keeping children away from windows as the police presence grew.
Police said the investigation indicates the shooting occurred between known parties, a phrase detectives often use when early evidence suggests a dispute or confrontation among people connected by family, friendship, a relationship, or a shared residence. Aurora police spokesperson Gabby Easterwood told local media that the shooting was targeted and not random, emphasizing that investigators did not believe a stranger was attacking people at large. Even so, police cautioned that the circumstances leading up to the shooting remained under investigation and that they were not ready to explain what triggered the violence or who fired the shots.
The city’s Major Crime Homicide Unit took over the case, which is standard when a shooting results in deaths. Detectives in such cases typically work to build a timeline, identify everyone who was in the immediate area and determine who can speak to what happened before, during and after the gunfire. In a large apartment complex, that work can be complicated by shared walkways and entry points, and by the reality that some witnesses may hesitate to talk if they fear retaliation or if the people involved are neighbors, friends or relatives. Police said they were continuing to gather statements and look for video that could help trace movements and confirm accounts.
One neighbor, Senaida Sanchez, told a local TV outlet that people at the scene were reluctant to interact with police after the shooting and that her husband offered to drive injured people to a hospital. Police have not publicly described whether any victims arrived at a hospital by private vehicle or whether all five were transported by emergency crews. Investigators also have not said who made the first 911 call. In shootings with multiple victims, dispatchers often receive several calls, which can help officers pinpoint the initial location and track suspect movement if callers saw someone run.
By late Wednesday night, parts of the complex were taped off as officers secured the area and detectives began collecting evidence, police said. Residents described a heavy police presence that extended into Christmas morning, with officers blocking certain paths while investigators moved through courtyards and parking areas. Police did not say whether they conducted door-to-door interviews, but canvassing nearby units is a common step, especially when detectives are trying to identify cameras that might have captured a suspect or a vehicle leaving the scene. Investigators also often look for digital evidence that can help explain who was present, including phone records and messages, though police have not said what information they have sought or obtained.
Authorities said they had no suspect information to release and that no arrests had been made. When police do not release a description, it can mean investigators are still working to confirm who fired the shots, that witness accounts are incomplete or conflicting, or that detectives believe a suspect is tied to the group involved and they are trying to locate that person without causing flight. Police also may withhold details early to protect the integrity of witness interviews and to avoid spreading inaccurate rumors through a community already on edge.
The Augusta Apartments sit near Billings Street and Evergreen Avenue in a part of Aurora with multi-unit housing and busy neighborhood roads. Residents said they saw patrol cars stationed near entrances and officers walking through common areas as detectives worked. Some said they noticed investigators photographing areas and searching for evidence on the ground. Police did not say whether they recovered a firearm or whether they were tracking down a specific weapon, and they did not say whether any property was damaged by bullets, such as vehicles or apartment windows, details that can help establish where a shooter stood.
The deaths of a 41-year-old woman and a teenage boy also raised questions about who was present and why. Police have not said whether the 17-year-old was a resident of the complex or whether he was visiting for the holiday. Investigators also have not described whether the victims were shot at the same place or whether gunfire moved through different parts of the property. Those facts can shape the case, including whether prosecutors later consider charges related to multiple victims, attempted murder, or other allegations if a suspect is identified.
For residents, the shooting renewed worry about how quickly violence can erupt in shared living spaces. Apartment communities can place bystanders close to disputes even when they are not involved, and a confrontation can spill into hallways, stairwells or courtyards. Police have not said whether any children were near the gunfire, though residents described families inside their units when the shots rang out. Investigators often ask people to preserve camera recordings before they are overwritten, but police have not detailed a public request for tips or video in the first day after the shooting.
As of Friday, police said the case remained under investigation with no arrests announced. The next major step is expected to be the coroner’s identification of the two people who died, followed by further updates from detectives as they complete interviews, review any available video and determine what charges may be filed if a suspect is identified.
Author note: Last updated Dec. 26, 2025.